Niptik v Horambath [2012] VUICB 3; MIC CC 01-12 (12 November 2012)

IN THE MALEKULA ISLAND COURT
HELD AT LAKATORO/ MALEKULA
------------------------------------------------
(Civil Jurisdiction)

Civil Case No. 1 of 2012

BETWEEN:

TUPTIK NIPTIK
(Original Claimant)

AND:

AVIHAMBATH HORAMBATH (MARCELLA SHMRN)
(Counter Claimant)

MATTER: DISPUTE OVER JIFLY TAETOL BLONG MAHAWEI TRIBE

Coram: Jastis Johnsen Selwyn
Jastis Endie Shem
Jastis Douglas Vandel

Clerk: Joel Jacob

JUDGMENT

Brief backgraon blong case:

Civil Case # 01/2012 hemi wan customary matter concernem dispute long Jifly taetol blong Mahawei Tribe, hemia long North West "A", Malekula. Court hemi bin arem case ia mo tekem daon every points blong tufala parties blong jastifaem issue we istap.

Issue: Whu nao long tufala claimant ia istret man blong karem taetol blong Paramount Jif blong Mahawei Tribe?

Smol Histri blong case:

Original Claimant – Tuptik Niptik hemi stap talem long histri blong hem se, bifo we ikam papa blong hem nao i wan paramount chief blong Amokawei. Taem hemi muf iko long solwota, hemi nomo kilim namangi from hemi jensem laef blong hem folem fandamentol biliv blong SDA church. Taem oli sentem toktok from hem blong kampak kilim Namangi long Amok, hemi tekem brata blong hem (Japeth) mo tufala ko be hemi no drink kava mo oli no talem anything lo hem nomo taem oli sta lo nakamal. Taem tufala sta kopak lo solwota, olfala Lakon wetem Shmrn oli biaenem tufala kasem lo Tenamet, olfala Lakon isingaotem papa blong OC afta hemi katem stampa blong Namambe. Hemi talem long hem se bae hemi mas kampak long kastom blong kivim pak kaon blo chief blo Amok. Be papa blo Tuptik Niptik i talem lo brata blo hem(Shmrn) se bae hemi akt lo biaf blo hem blo kivim pak kaon ia. Afta long hemia hemi talem lo Shmrn se spos wan pikinini or any generesen afta long hem, bae hemi nomas kilim any namanki from hemi acting nomo. Original Claimant hemi konkludum mo talem se, "kam kasem tete boe blong Marcella istill kilim namanki be hemi no tingbaot ol toktok we papa blong hem ibing talem long olketa". Risen ia nao mekem se OC hemi klem taetel ia we ilaef istap lo papa blong hem yet.